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Faneuil Hall, located near the waterfront and today's Government Center in Boston, Massachusetts, has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1742. It was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams, James Otis and others encouraging independence from England, and is now part of Boston National Historical Park and a well-known stop on the Freedom Trail. It is sometimes known as "the Cradle of Liberty." *
The original Faneuil Hall was built by artist John Smibert between 1740 and 1742 in the style of an English country market, with an open ground floor and assembly room above. Funding was provided by a wealthy Boston merchant, Peter Faneuil.
The grasshopper weathervane is a well known symbol of Boston. It was created by silversmith Shem Drowne and was styled after a similar one atop of the old London Royal Exchange, associating the new building as a center of finance for the New World. During the Revolutionary War, it was the answer to a challenge question issued by Colonial soldiers: "What sits atop Faneuil Hall?" If the swift reply were not, "Why the grasshopper, of course.", there would be trouble.
It burned down in 1761, but was rebuilt in 1762. In 1806 the hall was greatly expanded by Charles Bulfinch, doubling the building's height and width and adding a third floor. Four new bays were added, to make seven total, the open arcades were enclosed, and the cupola moved to opposite end of the building. Bulfinch applied Doric brick pilasters to the bottom two floors, with Ionic pilasters on the third floor. This renovation added galleries around the assembly hall and increased its height. The building was entirely rebuilt in 1898–99 using noncombustible materials, and the ground floor and basement altered in 1979. It was again restored in 1992.
Fanueil Hall is now part of a larger festival marketplace named Faneuil Hall Marketplace, which includes three long granite buildings (called North Market, Quincy Market, and South Market), which now operates as an outdoor/indoor mall and food eatery. It was managed by The Rouse Company and its success in the late 1970s led to the emergence of similar marketplaces in other US cities.
On November 3, 2004, Faneuil Hall was the site of Sen. John Kerry's concession speech in the 2004 presidential election.
Though "Faneuil" is originally French, it is pronounced rather than . Native Bostonians generally pronounce it to rhyme with "panel", and consider this to be the most correct pronunciation. Those not familiar with local pronunciation rhyme it with "Daniel", and this may be the most common pronunciation (although it is deprecated by Bostonians). It is sometimes rhymed with "manual", which is considered incorrect. There is some evidence it was pronounced quite differently in Colonial times, namely as in "funnel". Peter Faneuil's gravestone is marked "P. Funel", although the inscription was added long after his burial. There was some confusion of his true name then. The stone originally displayed only the Faneuil family crest.
See also
External links
Buildings and structures in Massachusetts | Freedom Trail | Landmarks in Massachusetts | Registered Historic Places in Massachusetts | Shopping malls in Massachusetts
"Faneuil Hall"